All That Glitters is NOT Gold
by Felicity Nacht
Summary: The final battle ensues. Atlantis is on Earth, but there is still one cruiser left to take care of. A single cruiser that harbors the oldest wraith queen. What the Earthlings won't do to access the font of information that she possesses, but as all wraith she does not wish to share anything with the humans.
1. Prologue

They call me Acatha. My real name is actually a series of clicks and grunts that cannot be put on paper. It's amazing that I've managed to figure out this language to tell my story. It's as I'm sitting in my quarters that I figured this would be the best time to tell my story.

I was around in the time of the Atlanteans. The ones that created the gates to move from planet to planet. The ones that thought that they could destroy my kind because of the superior minds. It might have been true, but because of one of their ill-conceived plans my kind came to be. They thought to explore my home galaxy and found the creature that I evolved from. The aratis bug. If it weren't for those arrogant beings, I wouldn't have ever come about and my kind wouldn't have preyed on the humans that they sought to protect.

Hindsight, thousands of years later, was the only thing that these humans had. Most couldn't even get the Atlanteans equipment to work. My kind seemed to be able to have a better chance at doing so and it was all engineered to keep us from using it. Humans were just as arrogant, but some of those beasts I can call friends.

"John Sheppard," I smiled to myself as I thought about the human. He was an outstanding human that did see that I was the enemy, but also saw that I was just as they were. If the cows could mount an attack on the humans then they would. It just so happened that my food source was sentient and did fight back.

"Ronon Dex," I growled as I threw my pen across the room. Now, that was a human that always hated me. The damn man had been hell bent on keeping me from the base as long as possible. I never left Atlantis as it rested in Pacific Ocean on Earth. No Earthling was submitted to me. I only went on missions to other worlds and only when it was the last possible chance they had for anything. He had made sure of that.

"Rodney McKay," another smile. The man was always as jumpy as they came. The only human that I really found that I could talk to about anything and he understood. Sheppard did somewhat, but even as a queen I had enjoyed the sciences. Rodney prided himself on being one of the Earth's greatest minds. Out of all that I had met, he was, but again the Earthlings were kept from me.

"Teyla Emmagan," the product of a failed experiment by one of my kind. How he had thought that splicing our DNA with that of a human's would make them tastier always baffled me. That is not one of my kind that I am proud of. But all races have those that make them look stupid. He happens to be the one.

"Todd," I mused as I remembered my comrade. He had been from another hive, but he was the only other of my kind that had worked with the humans from time to time. What would the being think of me if he knew what I had come to? Providing extra years for those that need it and being allowed to feed on those with the death sentence. How things had changed since I first found my way to Earth…


	2. Chapter 1

My cruiser was falling apart. The atmosphere was tearing the failing ship apart. I had my lead scientist and a few of my drones with me. All the others were out in darts. Trying to push past Earth's defenses, but there was no luck. No luck at all.

"Majesty," I turned to my lead scientist to see that his bright yellow gaze was focused on the console in front of him, "There's nothing I can do. It would be best if you just took a dart and left."

I looked out at my drones as they flew by in darts that were systematically being taken out by Atlantean vehicles as well as Earth vehicles. Even in a dart I wouldn't have survived much longer. I had better chances in the cruiser that was falling apart as it fell to the surface of the planet, "Are you stupid!" I took a step over to him and forced him to look up at the scene before us, "How far would I get! Would you go out there as it is right now!"

He shook his head as he returned his gaze to the console as he tried his best to minimize the effects of the degradation. All his attempts were in vain, but it was nice that I had a commander that was willing to go down with his ship as well as try to save my life. If only every single scientist was like that, "I'm sorry, Majesty."

I nodded as I stepped away from him and looked down at the bright blue oceans and dark green land mass that we were flying over. I knew that we weren't going to land in this area. It was going to be far away and hopefully a populated area. Take as many of those arrogant creatures out as I could. Then maybe, just maybe, I would be able to make it out of the wreck of my cruiser and live on Earth. With the abundant food source that I wouldn't have to hibernate ever again. Just the thought was enough for me to stand strong.

The cruiser shook as a piece of the hull was torn away and I heard my scientist curse in the language of the Atlanteans. It was strange how similar our real language was to theirs. We were created by them, after all, but not everyone knew that. The Atlanteans hadn't even seen their mistake. Only the few of my kind that were around in those ancient days knew the truth. The handful that were left.

This time a drive pod was torn away and there was nothing that could be done to correct our course. My scientist stepped away from the console to stand next to me. The two of us just stood there watching at more pieces of the hull were torn off and as we felt the intense heat of the friction.

The ground was coming faster and faster. There were buildings scattered over the landscape, but not nearly as many as I had hoped for.

The ground was so close that I could nearly see individual flowers. The cruiser ran into a tree and split the craft in two. My lead scientist jumped at me and wrapped himself around me to protect me. I wanted to push him away, but it was too late. The craft crashed to the ground and the ship crumbled around us. The handful of drones that I had on the cruiser threw themselves on the two of us to keep as many things from impaling me as possible.

That's when everything turned to pain a moment before everything went black. I had been knocked unconscious and I was cocooned in my inferiors. How many had died to protect me? I didn't know, but it didn't matter. There were plenty of drones I could make my own as soon as I woke up again.

…I didn't know how much time had passed, but the pain returned and I opened my eyes to see the human standing over me. My entire body was covered in a thick sticky substance that I instantly knew by the smell. My crew had all died and it was their blood that covered my body. I should have been mortified, but they were inferior. They hadn't mattered. I was still alive and that was all that mattered.

"The queen's still alive!" I hissed at the sound of the human's voice, "Sheppard!"

In just moments two more humans appeared over me as the first stepped away. One was large and I recognized as the runner that had survived for years, Ronon was his name. The other human was smaller and looked to be an Earth native. No one in my home galaxy dressed in such a manner and no one had such weapons, "Well, well, what do we have here," the smaller one took a step closer to me and I gathered what little strength I had to sit up and try to latch onto the human, but Ronon was quicker than I was in that state.

He placed his large foot to my chest and pushed me back on my back as I heard the charging of his weapon, "Hey!" he pointed the end of the alien weapon at me and I just hissed at the human. If only I could get to one of them I would be able to take out both of them.

"Ronon!" the other man's voice was sharp, "Stun! We're taking her in."

"But, Sheppard," his voice was low as he spoke with a clenched jaw, "she's wraith."

"She's also a queen," Sheppard's voice was just as low as he commanded his inferior, "So just turn it to stun, damn it!"

Ronon growled as he flicked something with his thumb and pulled the trigger. I saw the bright red blast a moment before everything went black again.


	3. Chapter 2

The room was dark and dank. A single cell in the center of the room with the Atlantean force field separating me from the outside. I had been in one of these cells before. Once, but it had happened. The Atlanteans had thought it would be a good idea to study one of my kind to see what made us tick. Oh, those were the days. A young queen being scrutinized by her food.

It was the most disgracing thing that I had ever been through. I was a queen. Yes, still very young at that time, but still a queen. I had been awake for quite some time just standing in the middle of the cell knowing not to touch the sides. Just waiting for something to happen. Someone to come into the room and talk to me.

Finally, the door slid open and a small human male stepped through the door. The top of his head was missing hair and the hair that he did have was grey. He wore a pair of thick black rimmed glasses and his lips were pulled back in a perpetual scowl. I guess I couldn't blame him. I was sure he thought I looked just as horrid as he looked to me.

Behind the rat-like man were the two that I remembered as Sheppard and Ronon. Ronon eyed me wearily and I could feel that the human hated me. I didn't blame him. I had never been partial to the idea of runners, but some others of my kind had enjoyed the hunt.

Then she walked in. Teyla Emmagan. She was well known to my kind. The human that was the descendant of one of the experiments of the idiot. The human that could slip into our heads and see through our eyes. She was the human's one trump card.

The small man stepped up to the cell and looked me over, "Hello, I'm Richard Woolsey."

I ran my gaze over the man. Nothing special to him and he would easily be overpowered. Though, I could see that there was some inner strength.

"Well, I see that you're not into speaking."

"I say we just kill her," Ronon growled and my gaze jumped to the large man. He looked furious and I just kept my gaze on him. We were not two that were ever going to get along.

"Ronon," Teyla's light voice filled the room and made the large human step back, "we could learn much from her."

"Like what?" Ronon snapped, "We're on Earth."

"Ronon," Sheppard's tone was tiresome and it was then that I realized that he had issues listening to his superiors. Why hadn't they just killed him by that point? "We're not just going to leave the Pegasus galaxy as it is."

"It is our home, Ronon. I do wish to return to my people."

I cocked my head to the side. These humans sure did talk a lot. It was fascinating. Even the Atlanteans didn't talk this much. Was the lack of telepathic communication really that much of a hindrance to the humans? I couldn't even think about not being able to at least sense what is going through the minds of those around me. Even as I stood there I could tell that Woolsey was too sure of himself. Ronon was full or rage. Sheppard was amused. Teyla was calm and it was easiest to hear what was whispering through her head.

"She's not going to say anything," Sheppard stepped up to the cell next to Woolsey and looked me over, "Do your kind even have names?"

I cocked my head to the side as I tried to even get a glimpse inside this human's head, but he was stronger. Stronger than any I had come across before. He surely was an exquisite specimen of the human race. Even the Atlanteans would have valued this human on their side.

Sheppard gave me a lopsided grin before he shrugged, "How about Acatha?" he nodded to himself as he just looked me over, "So tell us Acatha, how many other hives got the transmission for Earth?"

Did he really expect me to answer him? It was a funny thought, but not quite funny enough to get me to smile. Just because he gave me a name didn't mean that we were friends. Far from it actually. I already had a name.

Sheppard nodded, "Fine then," he turned away and started for the door, "hope you enjoy your stay in Atlantis."

"Greatly," I responded and they all stared at me. Each and every one of them was shocked. Had they not expected me to respond? It was known that my kind were not very forthcoming with anything, but I couldn't resist the urge to taunt them. Allude to the fact that I had been contained in this city once before and managed to escape then. I was going to manage again.

Sheppard smiled at me before he continued out the door, "Give her some time," with that they all followed him out the door. I heard the light swishing sound as the door shut behind them and I was once again submerged in silence. It physically hurt to not have anyone around, but I couldn't allow myself to move. I was a queen. I had to stand strong and keep my appearance up. No one, no matter their race, was going to see me as weak. I had reigned for over ten thousand years and I was going to continue for another ten thousand. All other queens of my age time had long passed. I was the oldest of my kind and had yet to waver.

_Acatha_, I mused to myself, _what a strange name. How did the human come to that conclusion?_ It didn't really matter, but I was left to my thoughts and there was no other of my kind close enough to communicate with. I was alone and it hurt.

_'Majesty?'_ that was a voice I hadn't heard before. One of my kind for sure, but from a different hive. I hadn't even sensed him, _'Are you well?'_

I closed my eyes as I tried to reach out to the one speaking to me, but I was still weak from the crash and I saw no feeding to come, _'I am weak. Who are you? What hive are you from? What hive did you arrive on?'_

Silence answered me. How could the male call out to me and then ignore my questions, _'Answer me!'_

_'I came as a prisoner in my hive with the Atlanteans.'_

No wonder the creature didn't want to respond. He was probably sitting in his own private quarters as they gave him nearly his every desire. The traitor! _'You __**dare**__ speak with me! As soon as I am out you are to be the first I seek!'_ I opened my eyes and closed my mind. Soon enough I would have my strength back and I would be able to figure out more about the traitor, but until then I was left in the silence. Left alone for an undetermined amount of time. Would the humans forget about me? Highly unlikely, but there was that little voice in the back of my head saying that they would. Why would they care to remember? I honestly didn't know how many ships had received the transmission.


	4. Chapter 3

There it was. The light high pitched swoosh of the door opening. The lights returned to illuminate the small human female, Teyla. She stood before me and I could feel her mind brush against my. I just cocked my head to the side as I looked into those dark eyes. I was older and stronger than any she had come across before. I was not going to let her in.

"You are much stronger than any I have seen before," her voice was light and strangely melodic.

Only silence greeted her. I wasn't going to respond. I wasn't going to give her anything.

"Acatha," I blinked at my given name and she smiled, "there is some response," she paused as she looked me over, "John believes that you have information that we could use. Ronon says we might as well just kill you. I think that it would be easy to talk to you. We are really not all that different."

"You and I," I scoffed and the woman smiled at me, "There is no comparison. You don't know who I am."

"No, I do not," her voice was light as she took another step towards my cell, "Who are you?"

"Hmph," I turned away from her, causing my silver hair to fall over my face. I wasn't going to say more. I was done with the pleasantries and I was going to make sure she knew it.

"Well," there was another pause before she spoke again, "I will not be the only one to come and speak with you," with that she left the room. Leaving me alone in the dark again. With only my thoughts and occasionally the sound of the other's voice drifting through my barrier.

…The door slides open again to admit another human. This time the large man, Ronon, steps into the room. Nothing much is said. He just stands there with his arms crossed over his chest and his dark gaze is locked on mine.

Sadly, my interaction with this human has been my favorite so far. He's not trying for anything. Just sizing me up as I am him. It was almost pleasant…

…The door opened a third time and Sheppard stepped through the door. He stepped right up to the cell and opened the door. A pistol pointed right at me. A single pistol wasn't enough to kill me, if I had been at full strength, but I hadn't fed since before I had left my galaxy, "Tell me how many others know about Earth," I smiled at the human as I took a step towards him, "Not another step, Acatha!"

I cocked my head to the side as I let my hands fall to my sides, brushing against the smooth material of my gown, "Kill me. End my existence. Then try to get any answer out of me."

The man lowered his gun as I called his bluff, "Smart. Bring in Todd!"

Moments later, the door opened again and another of my kind was ushered into the room. There was a strange glove over his feeding hand, but he looked almost as if he belonged here. How could one of my kind be content to stay here? These kind were the enemies. The descendants of those that created our kind and then tried to kill us off. How!

"Todd," the human spoke as my comrade stepped up to his side, "meet Acatha. We found her in a head of bodies in the wreckage of that cruiser," he turned to smile at me, "Acatha, meet Todd."

'_How could you let them degrade you in such a way?_'

The creature took a deep breath as he took another step towards me and I had to look up at him, "Forgive me, Majesty, but not all humans are for feeding."

I glared at him, "Unless they are _pets_," I hissed, "they are food. We do not simply make them our _friends_."

He offered me a simple smile, "I am not their friend. I am captive as are you, Majesty," he glanced back at Sheppard, "John Sheppard just seems to have a soft spot for me."

Sheppard gave the creature a smirk before he nodded, "Yeah," he looked over at me to offer me that same smirk that I just curled my lip at, "So, Acatha, Teyla said something about you saying something about being special. How are you special?"

"Bringing this _traitor_ before me won't make me open up," I hissed as I looked to the open gateway. I was so close to freedom, but I could also see that Sheppard was more than ready to shoot me. If only I could feed then I would be more than able to make my escape.

"I never thought it would," Sheppard patted the creature's shoulder before he took a step back and the cell door slid closed to confine me in the same space as the traitor, "Just thought you would like the company."

I hissed at the human as I looked started for the door, "Sheppard!" I hissed at the human, but he didn't listen to me. I was alone with the traitor. It was torture. And being so close to him made it nearly impossible to close my mind off to him.

"John Sheppard," his voice was light and there was an amused lilt as if he enjoyed the human. How could he like the human? They were all insufferable.

I stepped over to the creature and placed my feeding hand to his chest, "You worked with these humans!"

He looked down at my hand on his chest with an amused glint to his gaze, "It is these humans that saved me from a fate far worse than they have given me. You may not see it, Majesty, but not all humans are so pathetic."

I pulled away from the traitor and made my way across the cell to look at the closed door. Torture. This was pure torture. Sticking me in the same cell as one of my kind that would call these beasts comrades. Torture!


	5. Chapter 4

Silence. That's all there was. The commander before me was pathetic. He had allied with the humans. I wasn't even sure how some queens had allowed their hives to have human followers. Humans were food, not pets, but so of my kind had forgotten that. It was disgracing to my kind.

"Majesty," the commander spoke and I just turned my head, "John Sheppard is one of the better humans."

"John Sheppard," I snapped, "is almost as well known among our kind as Teyla Emmagan. He had killed many of our kind."

"Yet here I stand. Unharmed and only slightly hungry."

How was I supposed to respond to that? The commander before me was right. He was unscathed and seemed to almost enjoy himself. How could he? This was our food. Not our friends, "I will die before I tell them anything."

He nodded, "I thought so," with that the commander fell silent again. Periodically, I felt him brush against my mind, but the time had let me regain a little strength. There was no way he was getting in and getting any information from me, either.

…More time had passed. I was still standing in the cell with the commander just watching me when the door opened again and the small man known as Richard Woolsey stepped up to the cell, "Sheppard tells me that you are quiet. I come to propose a trade. You answer a few questions and we will allow you to return to the Pegasus galaxy."

How stupid did this man think I was? I could feel the deceit. They weren't going to let me return to my galaxy. Not with the coordinates to Earth. I wasn't sure where they would let me go, but I knew it wasn't anywhere I would want to go.

The man nodded as silence filled the room, "I thought so," he turned towards the commander, "Todd, has she said anything to you?"

"No," the commander stated shortly. Obviously he wasn't fond of the man either, "She is stronger than any I've come across before."

"Really…" those beady eyes returned to me and I knew his interest was sparked, "That's fascinating."

"Very," I hissed.

The commander chuckled and I shot him a sharp look before I returned my attention to the human before me, "So you do speak…"

It was obvious that the human was just fishing for more, but I wasn't going to speak. The man wasn't going to get anything from me. Death first.

"All the hives and cruisers have been destroyed over Earth. You have no one to come to you."

If he only knew how much I didn't care. I was on Earth and in Atlantis. It was only a matter of time before they slipped up and I made my way out. I knew the layout of this city better than any queen and I knew how to operate nearly every single thing in the city. It could be mine and no one would be able to stop me once I was allowed to feed, just once.

The human sighed before he nodded, "You are a difficult one," he turned to the commander, "Why can't all you're kind be like you?"

With that the commander chuckled and Woolsey left the room. Again, I was alone with the traitor. And I knew that this time it was going to be so much longer before someone came back. They were going to wait and hope that the hunger would drive me to speak. If only they knew the will of a true queen!

…Days passed. The commander was removed from the cell and I was left completely alone again. I hadn't realized how comforting the presence another of my kind had been. The commander had been a horrible specimen, but he was still familiar. His absence nearly hurt. Then again, the absence of all of my kind hurt. My commanders were dead. My drones were lost. My scientists gone. I was completely alone in a foreign galaxy. The mere thought was enough to break me, but I wasn't going to bend.

"Death first," the words were light and I wondered how I managed to gather the strength to even utter them…

…My strength was fading. It had been nearly two months. I had lost the strength to stand by this point, but the humans hadn't even bothered to check up on me. I was alone and I needed to feed. I was near death and I was ready. It was time for it all to end. No longer could the humans torture me.

That's when I heard it. The light swooshing of the door as it opened to admit someone. I didn't even bother to open my eyes to see who was there. I could sense that it was a human female, Teyla by the feel, and two human males. I thought that one of them felt like Sheppard, but the other was new. Weak, and new.

"Acatha," Sheppard spoke, "I'd like you to meet Carl here. He's offered to help us get information from you," there was a short pause, "See here, he's dying from…"

"Lymphatic cancer."

"Cancer," Sheppard continued, "He's offered himself to you only if you speak. So, what do you say?"

Finally, I opened my eyes and looked at him to see the older man that was standing there. That was the sustenance that they were offering? It just wasn't enough to satisfy me. Not worth my time.


End file.
